Japanese street food has arrived in Santa Monica with the opening of this perky omusubi shop. The tasty, grab-and-go treats consist of warm Japanese rice balls stuffed with fillings like chicken curry or miso mushrooms and wrapped with nori (seaweed).

Interior designer Thomas Schoos transformed this former German eatery into a trendy restaurant. From the main dining room with its ambient lighting and elaborate mirrors, to the private rooms and outdoor patio's heat lamps and simple woodwork, the restaurant offers a warm, eclectic atmosphere.

Located at the upscale Shutters at the Beach hotel, this restaurant is noted for its proximity to Santa Monica's pier and beach, both of which are visible from large windows throughout the dining room.

Santa Monica native Josiah Citrin opened Mélisse in 1999, and it remains one of the city’s last bastions for fine dining. The space is decorated wtih violet and white walls, a central chandelier with a black-linen shade, and hand-blown crystal sculptures from France.

This French bistro from chef-owner Raphael Lunetta opened in 1996, and stops just short of fine dining. The restaurant has brown awnings and arched windows outside, and inside, canary-yellow walls, ground-floor and mezzanine seating, and crystal chandeliers.

Cora's Coffee Shoppe, a short walk from Santa Monica beach, is part coffee house and part cafe. The interior of this smooth-stucco building has lots of wood accents and a black and white tiled floor. Seating consists of a few small tables and a bar area with stools.

Despite its infamously strict dining policies (no substitutions, no subtractions, and no ketchup, to name a few), this lively gastropub still manages to draw crowds with its two specialties: a rotating selection of 36 craft beers, and the signature Office Burger, often named the best burger in Lo